Protector for exercise bar

ABSTRACT

An example protector for an exercise bar includes a housing made of a pliable material. The example protector also includes an attachment to secure the housing substantially in a center of an exercise bar.

PRIORITY CLAIM

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/803,350 filed on Mar. 19, 2013 titled “Exercise Bar With Protector” of Philip Patti, hereby incorporated by reference for all that is disclosed as though fully set forth herein.

BACKGROUND

Pull down exercises can be used in strength training, e.g., to develop major back muscles, such as the latissimus dorsi (or “lats). For this exercise, weights may be attached to a cable and run through an overhead structure and down to a bar (e.g., a lat bar), that may be pulled down to practice the desired exercise. Cable attachments to these suspended bars may be made of steel (e.g., solid or tubing). But if something fails (e.g., a broken cable or connecting link) during an exercise, there is an instant level of high momentum directed at the user's head, other body part and/or other person standing nearby. The amount of weight and force with which the bar is being pulled can cause a potentially severe injury to the user.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example exercise bar with protector.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the example exercise bar with protector shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing components of an example exercise bar protector.

FIG. 3 a is an exploded perspective view showing components of another example exercise bar protector.

FIG. 4 is a side view of an example exercise bar protector.

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of the example exercise bar protector taken along lines 5-5 in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is top view of the example exercise bar protector.

FIG. 7 is second cross sectional view of the example exercise bar protector taken along lines 7-7 in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 a is a perspective view of another example exercise bar with protector.

FIG. 8 b is a side view of the example exercise bar with protector shown in FIG. 8 a.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Exercise “machines” are available for weight training and provide the user with multiple exercises at a single station. These exercise machines may include a plurality of weights connected via a cable to an exercise bar. The exercise bar may be equipped any desired weight. For example, if the user connects 300 pounds or more of weight and is pulling down toward his or her head when suddenly the cable breaks or is otherwise released (e.g., due to an improper connection), the sudden loss of resistance and resulting downward force can be a tremendous impact against the user's head and/or other body part.

If a high strength aluminum or steel bar hits the user in the head in any manner, the user could very likely be severely injured or even killed. A protector is described, for example as it may be used with an exercise bar such as, but not limited to a “lat” bar. The protector may be a head protector, although it may also protect other parts of the user's body and/or other people (e.g., those standing nearby). In an example, the protector may include a housing and a sleeve inside the housing. The housing may be made of any suitable material, such as a pliable and/or soft material (e.g., rubber or soft plastic or other similar resilient material). If a user is hit in the same manner with this softer material, the impact on the user's body may be uncomfortable, but the potential for injury can be greatly reduced or even eliminated.

Before continuing, it is noted that as used herein, the terms “includes” and “including” mean, but is not limited to, “includes” or “including” and “includes at least” or “including at least.” The term “based on” means “based on” and “based at least in part on.”

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example exercise bar with protector. An exercise bar protector 100 is shown connected to an exercise bar 101. The exercise bar 101 may be made of any suitable material. In an example, the exercise bar 101 may be made of steel. In another example, the exercise bar 101 may be made of aluminum (e.g., a High Strength Aluminum). Aluminum reducing weight of the bar. Other materials, however, such as steel may also be used. A cable attachment 104 may be provided on the exercise bar 101.

The example protector 100 may include a housing 102 with an inner sleeve 103 that surrounds the bar 101, e.g., at or near the cable attachment 104. A ring or eye bolt of the cable attachment 104 is fitted through the top of the housing 102, so that a cable (not shown) may connect to the ring or eye bolt during use.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the example exercise bar with protector shown in FIG. 1. The protector 100 may be used with a lat bar as shown, e.g., for overhead or other exercise. The protector 100 may protect the user's head or other body part during a pull down or other exercise. By way of illustration, the protector 100 may protect the user's mouth (e.g., chin and/or mouth) and/or chest when pulling in an upward direction during bicep exercises, or protect the user's back and/or neck when pulling behind the user's head. The protector 100 may be used during other exercises and/or other types of exercise bars as well.

In an example, the protector 100 is provided substantially in the center of an exercise bar 108. Materials for manufacture of the protector 100 may include, but are not limited to polymers such as natural or synthetic rubber or a similar elastomer, nitrile, silicone, or a thermoplastic elastomer or polyurethane, or a plastic such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), that may greatly reduce the potential for injury to a user. A plasticizer such as a phthalate may be added to the plastic or PVC to make it softer and more flexible.

The protector 100 may be any suitable hardness. By way of illustration, a durometer may be used to assess desired hardness, which may be based in part on design considerations such as end-user, exercise to be performed by the end-user, cost, and/or other parameters. A durometer is a test used to assess hardness of materials especially polymers, elastomers, and rubbers. These hardnesses can be described as Shore hardness using various scales as in for instance a Shore A hardness scale. In the Shore A hardness scale a soft material such as a rubber band or an eraser may have a Shore A hardness of between 20 and 40. A tire may have a Shore A hardness of for example 70, and a shoe heel a hardness of 80. A skateboard wheel may have a hardness of 95. Natural rubbers and neoprene have Shore A hardnesses ranging from 30-90, nitrile from 40 to 100, acrylic from 50-85, and silicones from 40 to 80. As such the material used for the protector 100 may have a Shore A hardness of at least about 30 and not greater than about 95, or even not greater than about 90.

The protector 100 may be provided on the bar 101 with or without a sleeve 103. The sleeve 103 may be a metal, hard plastic, or other suitable material, fitted inside the housing 102. The protector 100 may be attached to the bar 101 according to any means (e.g., adhesive or glue).

Before continuing, it is noted that the examples described herein and shown in the drawings are provided for purposes of illustration, and are not intended to be limiting. Other devices and/or device configurations and/or operations of manufacture may also be utilized.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing components of an example exercise bar protector 100. In this example, the housing 102 is configured to receive a sleeve 103. The sleeve 103 is made to fit over an exercise bar (e.g., bar 101 shown in FIG. 1). A cable attachment 104 may be fitted into an opening in the top of the housing 105. Washer 106 is shown as it may seat the ring or eye bolt 104. Nut 107 receives the end of the bolt inside the housing (shown outside the housing for purposes of explanation). A hole 108 in the top of the sleeve 103 allows the bolt to pass therethrough. Another hole (not shown) may be provided in the bottom of the sleeve 103 to allow the bolt to be fitted through.

In the example shown, housing 102 fits over the sleeve 103. The housing 102 can be secured (permanently or semi-permanently) over the sleeve 103. For example, the housing 102 may be secured over the sleeve 103 with a snap-fit, screws, and/or by other suitable securement(s). One or more set screw 111 may be provided through opening 110 in the housing 102 and/or sleeve 103 to connect the protector and/or various parts thereof onto the exercise bar 101.

As described above, the protector 100 may be made of any suitable material. In an example, the protector is a soft, pliable material, such as rubber or soft plastic. The protector 100 may include foam and/or other padding (not shown). Also as described above, the protector 100 may be used to protect a user's head in the event that a cable breaks. However, the protector may also protect other parts of the user's body (e.g., the user's chin or chest when being used as a pull-up bar).

FIG. 3 a is an exploded perspective view showing components of another example exercise bar protector. In this example, prime (′) reference numbers are used to refer to like components. It is noted that the eye bolt 104′ in this example bolts up from the bottom. In addition, a roll pin may be installed at 300. Other configurations are also possible.

FIG. 4 is a side view of an example exercise bar protector. FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of the example exercise bar protector taken along lines 5-5 in FIG. 4. In this example, the cable attachment 104 is threaded through a washer 106 and holes in the sleeve 103, into nut 107 seated below the sleeve in the housing 102.

It is noted that the housing and/or sleeve may be provided as a single portion or piece (e.g., molded as a unitary structure or slide or otherwise fitted onto the exercise bar). In another example, the housing and/or sleeve may be provided as portions or pieces (e.g., two halves), such that the housing and/or sleeve may be opened to be more readily fitted around the exercise bar, and then assembled onto the exercise bar.

FIG. 6 is top view of the example exercise bar protector. FIG. 7 is second cross sectional view of the example exercise bar protector taken along lines 7-7 in FIG. 6. In this view, it can be seen that the cable attachment 104 may be threaded through a washer 106, the housing 102, through the sleeve 103 and seated on nut 107.

It is noted that the protector 100 may be provided for any of a wide variety of different types of exercise devices. FIG. 8 a is a perspective view of another example exercise bar 108 with protector. FIG. 8 b is a side view of the example exercise bar 108 with protector shown in FIG. 8 a. In this example, the protector 100 is provided on a ring bar 108. Of course, the protector 100 (as shown or modified) may be used with any suitable bar.

It is noted that the examples shown and described are provided for purposes of illustration and are not intended to be limiting. Still other examples are also contemplated. 

1. A protector comprising: a housing made of a pliable material; and an attachment to secure the housing substantially in a center of an exercise bar.
 2. The protector of claim 1, wherein the attachment to secure the housing is also a cable attachment.
 3. The protector of claim 1, wherein the attachment includes an eye-bolt, a washer, and a nut.
 4. The protector of claim 1, wherein the housing is substantially U shaped, with a substantially upper portion and a substantially rounded bottom portion.
 5. The protector of claim 1, further comprising a sleeve.
 6. The protector of claim 5, wherein the sleeve is assembled as a single piece slid over a shaft of the exercise bar before bending hand grip portions on each end of the exercise bar.
 7. The protector of claim 5, wherein the sleeve includes two halves that are separable to fit over the exercise bar.
 8. The protector of claim 5, wherein the sleeve includes two halves that are separable to fit over the sleeve.
 9. The protector of claim 5, wherein the sleeve is permanently secured to the exercise bar.
 10. The protector of claim 1, wherein the housing is secured by a snap fit.
 11. The protector of claim 1, wherein the housing is secured by an adhesive.
 12. An exercise bar protector system comprising: an exercise bar; a protector including a housing made of a pliable material, the housing secured to the exercise bar.
 13. The system of claim 12, further comprising a cable attachment, the cable attachment securing the protector to the exercise bar.
 14. The system of claim 12, further comprising a cable attachment on the exercise bar, the protector fitted around the cable attachment.
 15. The protector of claim 1, further comprising a sleeve.
 16. The protector of claim 5, wherein the sleeve is assembled between the exercise bar and the housing.
 17. A method of providing a protector on an exercise bar, the method comprising providing a pliable housing of the protector on the exercise bar.
 18. The method of claim 17, further comprising providing a cable attachment, the cable attachment securing the protector to the exercise bar.
 19. The method of claim 17, further comprising fitting the pliable housing of the protector around a cable attachment on the exercise bar.
 20. The method of claim 17, further comprising assembling a sleeve between the exercise bar and the housing. 